VID Addresses Election and Local Healthcare

The Village Independent Democrats had their monthly meeting on September 8th at St. John’s Church on Christopher Street. Club President Nadine Hoffman and District Leader Keen Berger reported on a variety of political issues. Tony Hoffman and Erik Coler gave reports on election actions related to the presidential election and local democratic primaries.

Alison Greenberg hosted a forum on the future of healthcare in lower Manhattan. Judy Wessler, former head of the Commission on the Public’s Health System, gave a detailed account of the diversion of funds from “safety net” hospitals, which primarily help the poor, to politically powerful hospital systems. There were questions and comments from the audience including an impassioned and extensive oration by George Capsis, this paper’s publisher, on local healthcare needs, and the possibility of getting a hospital for the area. Wessler asked people to support the Save Our Safety Net Bill in the state legislature (A9476/Gottfried and S6948/Hannon) which would direct funds to hospitals which truly aid the underserved and might be helpful if such a hospital arose in the West Village.